Armed Home Defense Tactics 6.13.19

Attended my annual PDN Tour class. This year's class was all about home defense. Very enjoyable and I left with lots to think about and work on. 

ASRC 3.31.2018

Active Shooter Response Class 2.3.18

ASRC x 2. A long day but successful.

Active Shooter Response Course Edgewood-Colesburg CSD 8.21.17

86 more school employees with the knowledge they need to have a plan.

Active Shooter Response Course 5.20.17

Great group of folks at the Masonic Lodge. Thanks for having me

Active Shooter Response Course North Tama High School 4.10.2017

Fundamentals of Combat Focus Shooting 10.02.2016

8 students came out to train on a great day that also happened to be my wife's birthday. Happy birthday Starr!!! Varying skill levels from experienced to first time shooter. Lots of great feedback.

Do we hold Military and Police Training in too high a regard?

Recently I wrote a short piece entitled Veterans and Concealed Carry: How Important is Training that was published on the Personal Defense Network. In a nutshell I encouraged military veterans to get additional training should they choose to carry a firearm in a public space. I would now like to look at law enforcement training in the same regard. Let me preface this by saying I have the utmost respect for law enforcement. I have many many friends on different departments acrossed the country and I myself am a reserve officer on two departments. That being said I believe most of my friends in law enforcement will agree with what I am about to say. Generally speaking your average law enforcement officer receives inadequate or outdated training when it comes to self defense employment of the firearm.

Recently I was in a Facebook conversation with an individual that held up law enforcement officers as the end all be all of defensive shooting. He opined that a run of the mill concealed carrier could not hope to achieve a commiserate level of skill as compared to these officers. When I disagreed with him he left the conversation with no rebuttal. Today I was talking to a young officer that has been through training with me and some other instructors I am familiar with and he described to me the varying combinations of stances and grips he had seen at the law enforcement range he was on. His description led me to believe that the majority of the officers present had not invested the requisite time needed to become as proficient in the use of their duty weapon as the general public may expect.

What do I base my assertion on? A few things really. First a common criticism by some is that concealed carriers are a danger to the public because they will not seek out or maintain adequate training unless mandated. I disagree with this assessment however I would submit that law enforcement officers are no different. Your local law enforcement officer is going to qualify with x number of rounds and receive x numbers of hours of training in the employment of their primary weapon while they are in the academy. Then besides the mandated yearly qualification, that's it. Just like concealed carriers unless individual officers or an enlightened department seek out additional training, skills will degrade. Now officers have many other skills they can draw on besides the use of deadly force,such as less than lethal deterrents and deescalation skills, but they are not exempt from the "use it or lose it" scenario.

Secondly budgets play a factor in this process. Should an officer have a desire to train but the department doesn't have the budget for ammunition beyond that yearly qualification, then the officer has a catch 22. They can either hope they maintain proficiency with the once yearly qualification or they must fund their own training. Some officers may not have the financial wherewithal to do this, so budgetary restrictions now force them to the lowest training level, despite a desire to train.

These factors could result in training that is potentially outdated and unrealistic. The goal of this training is to produce good qualification scores. Scores needed to justify continued budgetary allocations or check a box. Unfortunately this training may not correlate to the real life scenarios that officers encounter on the street. Rob Pincus developer of the Combat Focus Shooting program wrote an article in the July 2001 edition of SWAT Magazine entitled "Qualification is not training." Vance Rosen writing for the PoliceOne website wrote "Why training police merely to qualify isn’t enough." Both of these individuals stressed that realistic training needs to be given to our law enforcement professionals.

It can be seen that merely having a badge does not bestow upon the wearer any remarkable skills that can be employed in the context of a dynamic critical incident, unless those skills are trained frequently and as realistically as possible. Encourage your local law enforcement department to develop these skills in their officers.

Fundamentals of Combat Focus Shooting 4.30.2016

Was a rainy and blustery day. Well done to the students who came to train

Mandated Training

Bottom line up front I am for "constitutional carry" and against any kind of mandated government training protocol being required to exercise your right of self defense. Besides the obvious argument that you cannot regulate a natural right, I also believe that mandated training gives gun owners a false sense of security. Many will go to the required concealed carry training every 5 years (which they may or may not have done on the internet) and call it good. It is painfully obvious who those folks are. These  are the folks that show up for a reclassification shoot with a compact 1911 that they cannot manipulate under even mild stress. These are folks that have supposedly been carrying a firearm for self defense on a daily basis for at least 5 years.

I am however a huge advocate of training. It is incumbent that responsible concealed carriers seek out training. There are 5 different areas where this training should be focused.

1. Defensive Handgun Training: This is a no brainer. However the key word here is "defensive." Target shooting is fun, competition shooting is fun however they do not necessarily prepare the concealed carrier to react appropriately in the context of a self defense shooting scenario. The responsible concealed carrier should seek out realistic training from  reputable instructor.

2. Hands on skills or Defensive Tactics: Although the most common distance at which self defense shootings happen are 9-12 feet they don't always start out that way. Often the concealed carrier may need to disengage or get untangled from an aggressor before they can employ their firearm. This training should also include weapon retention training. I am not necessarily talking about martial arts per se but I am talking about training to help you defend yourself when a gun may not be available or may not be a viable option. Concealed carriers need to seek out these classes and participate to the best of their ability.

3. Medical Training: I have long been an advocate of medical training for the lay community. It is the single most important self defense skill one can possess. Even more important than using your firearm properly. Medical training can be used in almost every facet of your life. It can be used in the context of your family life, at a car accident or on the range. The more members of the general public that possess basic life saving skills the better odds there are that my family will be safe should I not be in the area.

4. Legal Aspects: Concealed carriers need to learn what happens in the legal aftermath of a self defense shooting scenario. Training on applicable laws, how to interact with law enforcement, and how to deal with the various legal scenarios that may result. It is imperative that concealed carriers understand the awesome responsibility that is incumbent upon them when they choose to carry a firearm in public.

5. Avoidance: Managing unknown contacts and how to avoid compromising situations is also very important. Get training on recognizing pre assault indicators. Learn how to react to strangers if you may be stuck in an environment that supports violent criminal activity.

Training does not always have to be formal training in front of an instructor. Reading books and articles on these subjects, listening to podcasts or even just visualizing how we would react to certain situations are all viable training models.

Mandated training will not prepare you to react to a dynamic critical incident, but you can be prepared should you choose to be.

CVO Gun Talk Episode 001

Our first episode. 3 guys talk about traning and guns. Subscribe at this link http://www.tpspproductions.com/cvo-gun-talk-1/ or on itunes

Manual Safety On Self Defense Firearms

We do not recommend any external safeties on self defense firearms that are not activated by the inherent act of firing the gun. Here is why

http://www.personaldefensenetwork.com/video/manual-safety-on-a-self-defense-handgun-010332/?utm_content=buffer662c9&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Medical Training: You need it

Many people in the self defense world  look to the gun as the end all be all of the personal defense scenario. As if it is a special talisman that will ward of evil. In truth the gun is a very effective tool for use in a unlikely and very narrow set of circumstances. What is way more likely is the use of some sort of medical skill. How often have you been in a situation where you needed to dress a wound or react to a medical emergency? Quite a bit more often than you have participated in a gunfight I would imagine.

I emphasize with my students the need to train on the skills needed when the threat is outside the context of a shooting solution. Medical skills are paramount and essential. .

Fundamentals of Combat Focus Shooting 1.3.16

Good day of training at QC Shooting Sports. Thanks Jeff Mullenmeister of MN Firearms Training Academy for coming down to teach with me.

Fundamentals Of Home Defense

The reality of the world we live in is that you are more likely to attacked in your own home than you are in a public environment. Because of this it is incumbent on the well prepared home owner to have at least a basic plan for home defense.

There are many things a home owner can do to mitigate an invasion before they happen. There are the obvious things such as locks, closed circuit television cameras and access controls systems. Another thing that can be done is to implement Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles. Things like planting of thorny shrubs under windows to discourage intruders or trimming trees to afford betters fields of view from inside the residence. However the context of this article will be some of the basic consideration in using handguns for home defense.

The individual domestic situation in each home and local laws will determine the method of storage for the handgun used for home defense.

Storage options must satisfy these three criteria

1.   Secure the handgun from unauthorized access
2. The handgun must be accessible
3. The handgun must be in the proper condition when it is needed.

Your handgun can be stored in several configurations.

1. Unsecured- The handgun is stored openly such as on a nightstand or counter
2. Hidden and Unsecured- The handgun can be hidden in a drawer, book or some other unlocked but hidden storage area.
3. Secured- The handgun is stored in a quick access safe. This method is the most efficient and recommended.

The handgun can be stored in a variety of conditions

1. Unloaded- A loaded magazine is available but not inserted into the handgun. This condition is the safest but is the least efficient due to the complex motor skills needed to load the weapon during a home invasion.
2. Loaded- A loaded magazine is inserted into the handgun but no round is in the chamber. The negligent discharge risk is lower in this condition but the need to chamber a round will effect efficiency.
3. Chambered-A loaded magazine is inserted into the handgun and a round is chambered. This is the most efficient however the risk for a negligent discharge while reaching into the quick access safe is present. This risk can be mitigated by storing the handgun in a holster inside the safe.

Due to the propensity for the grasp reflex to be triggered while under stress and the subsequent possibility of a negligent discharge while reaching for the handgun the recommended condition to store your home defense handgun is in the loaded condition or chambered and holstered in a quick access safe.

When formulating a home defense plan you should apply these Five Fundamental Principles in the context of your individual circumstances.

1. Evade or Escape-Individuals should create distance and minimize exposure to the threat. This fundamental includes marshalling family members or moving to rally/barricade points. Empowering family members to evade individually is important.
2. Arm- Arm yourself as early as possible. Individuals should have the tools to defend themselves or their family as early as possible if needed.
3. Barricade- Your preplanned barricade point should be the safest place possible. Your barricade point should be 90 degrees off any point of entry. You should be greater than two arm’s length from the point of entry in a position that will allow you to shoot from full extension if needed. If it is necessary to move, move with a purpose without exposing your handgun.
4. Contact- Call 911. When calling 911 stay on the line. Give your location. Give your location within the structure. Tell what is going on. Tell who is involved. ID yourself and any family members (give a description) and that you are armed. ID the assailant (give a description if possible).
5. Counter- Respond a necessary to a lethal threat.

       The aftermath of a home invasion will be chaotic. Initially you may be detained or even arrested. It is important that you communicate to investigating officers the evidence of a threat, any evidence of injuries, damage to the home and any prior relationship with the assailant. Be the victim.

       Finally practice your plan and make sure all members of the household are fully involved. Recognition is the tool of the expert. You can only recognize something if you have been previously exposed to it. Through frequent and realistic training you can use the power of recognition to respond more efficiently during a home invasion.

Concepts and principles in this article courtesy of I.C.E Training Company, Rob Pincus, and the Defensive Firearms Coaches Course.

Defensive Tactics For Emergency Medical Services

Recently a video was posted over on http://www.ems1.com showing two firefighters attacked by a knife wielding bystander as they responded to a request for medical assistance .

This sort of incident is often talked about in the self defense training world. The methodology I subscribe to prepares us for a counter ambush mindset. We accept that an incident such as this will be surprising, chaotic and present a lethal threat. During firearms training I talk to my students in the context of a lethal threat that is farther than two arms length away.

Emergency Responders generally do not have this luxury. To properly assess and treat a patient   you have to get up close and personal. You need to get inside that two arms length space. It is drilled into EMS personal that they need to ensure a scene is safe before proceeding. However scenes do not always remain safe. Furthermore in a rural environment LEO may not be available during an incident that may require immediate medical intervention. EMS personnel need to be trained to escape a violent encounter and defend their own life as an essential job function.

 There are a few organizations that offer this training such as DT4EMS . However they are not nearly as prevalent as organizations offering training to Law enforcement or the public in general. I encourage EMS Service Directors to organize a DT class as part of the  regular training cycle. I also encourage State Departments of Public Health to advocate the implementation  of Defensive Tactics training. The next life EMS saves may be their own.